Screw holder and driver



(No Model.)

J.R.B'ALSLEY. SCREW HOLDER AND DRIVER.

Patented Aug. 13, 1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

JAMES R. BALSLEY, OF CONNELLSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

SCREW HOLDER AND DRIVER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 544,606, dated August13, 1895.

Application filed March 14, 1895- Serial No. 541,782. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES R. BALsLEY, of Oonnellsville, county ofFayette, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Screw Holders and Drivers, of which the following isaspecifica tion, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The object of my invention is to produce a bifurcated screwdriver havingequally expansible legs, each susceptible of separation, and which isthereby adapted, upon being inserted into the slot of a screw-head, toretain the screw and to allow itto be set in places which areinaccessible to the fingers of an operator.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is a side elevation of one formof screwdriver inserted in a screw. Fig. II is a similar view showing itexpanded. Fig. III isaview taken at right angles to that shown in Fig.I. Fig. IVis a modified form of handle. Fig. Vshows a handle with aswivel top for use in light my bifurcated screwdriver.

aperture in the other leg.

V, are pressed together, so that their blades or nibs 6 may enter theslot 7 of a screw. For this purpose a compression-ring 8, whichencircles the legs, may be employed. By sliding the ring toward the nibsthe legs are pressed together and by drawing it backward they areexpanded. I prefer also to employa screw 9, which passes through anaperture 10 in one leg and enters a screw-threaded By the adjustment ofthis screw the expansibility of the legs may be limited or the legs maybe permanently compressed to render'the screwdriver available in theordinary way.

The legs are constructed directly opposite to each other, so that theirfiat sides work to and from each other, and not shearwise, this squarelyand firmly upon the nibs 6.

Instead of depending upon the outwardlytending resiliency of thematerial of which the legs are composed for expanding or separatingthem, the form of tool shown in Fig. VI of the drawings may be employed,in which the handle 10 is made hollow to receive an expanding-rod 11.This expanding-rod carries a wedge-shaped end 12, which, being drivenlongitudinally between the legs, Will divide them with a positivepressure, depend ing upon the degree of movement of the wedge. The legsin this form would preferably be constructed so as to stand normally inthe closed position. I prefer in this form of construction to make therod spring-actuated, as by a coil-spring 13, encircling the rod. Apressbutton 14 may be employed upon the outer end of the rod. Othermeans for actuating the expanding-rod may be employed, those illustratedbeing simply suggestive of the present preferred form.

For light work, as illustrated in Fig. V of the drawings, a swiveledhead 15 may be employed upon the end of the handle. In practice, forsecuring a better hold upon the screw-slot, I prefer to make theexterior surface of the nibsrough, like a file or rasp. I am aware thata bifurcated screwdriver having one resilient side is not new; but thattool is clearly distinguishable from mine, because the tendency of theone resilient side is to cant the screw and interfere with the properoperation of the tool. Moreover, the single spring-lip interferes withthe operation of the tool after the screw has been set in place, because if the screwdriver should become dislodged .from the slot afterthe screw is set it would be difficult if not practically impossible toreinsert it. In my device the expansibility of both legs is equal, andthe legs may be brought together, so that their nibs may be insertedinto the screw-slot at any distance from which the screw may be reached.1

What I claim is- 1. A bifurcated screw driver having equally expansibledirectly opposite legs and nibs on the ends thereof adapted to engageupon their outside surfaces with the inner sides of a screw slot, andmeans for expanding the legs, substantially as set forth.

2. A bifurcated screw driver having equally expansible directly oppositelegs, and nibs on the ends thereof whose outer surfaces are adapted toengage and hold the inner surfaces of a screw slot, means for expandingthe legs, and means for limiting the degree of expansion, substantiallyas set forth.

3. Abifurcated screw driver having equally expansible directly oppositelegs, and nibs on the ends thereof, whose outer surfaces are adapted toengage with the inner surfaces of a screw slot, and an expansive piecemovable between the legs and adapted to expand them and press their nibsagainst the sides of a screw slot, substantially as set forth.

4. In a bifurcated screw driver having JAMES R. BALSLEY. Witnesses:

THOMAS J. Hoornn, Rom. NORRIS.

